A particle sliding on a customized track.

Graphs and Tracks

The Graphs and Tracks Model allows instructors to create custom models of a ball rolling on a track for teaching. This EJS model was inspired by the Graphs and Tracks program by David Trowbridge.

 

To customize the jar file do the following:

 

  1. Run the standalone Graphs and Tracks jar, drag the track heights to create a custom configuration, and select other view options.

  2. Create html, pdf or text documents and place them into the same directory as the Graphs and Tracks jar file.

  3. Enter the document filename(s) into the doc user interface field or clear that field to disable documentation. You may enter multiple filenames if they are  separated by a semicolon and you may enter a URL beginning with the characters http:.

  4. Select the “student” checkbox to create a custom jar file.

  5. Enter a jar file name, such as exercise5.jar, in the Save dialog.  Note the check-box in the dialog allows you to generate a HTML page that runs the newly created jar file as an applet.


 The customized jar file contains the customized initial conditions and the documents that were entered in step 3 and can now be distributed.  Users (students) run the jar file and access the packaged documentation using Show Documentation button.

 

Note:  Teachers can save their preliminary work by clicking the "teacher" box.  The repacked jar file can later be opened to continue the customization.

 

EJS programmers can further customize this model but we ask that they give attribution to this original model and use a new and unique jar name for their modified model to avoid confusion with the original jar.

Credits:

The  Graphs and Tracks Model was developed by Wolfgang Christian using the Easy Java Simulations (EJS) version 4.3.3 authoring and modeling tool. 

 

You can examine and modify the compiled EJS model if you run the model (double click on the model's jar file), right-click within a plot, and select "Open EJS Model" from the pop-up menu.  You must have EJS installed on your computer.  Information about EJS is available at: <http://www.um.es/fem/Ejs/> and in the ComPADRE OSP Collection <http://www.compadre.org/OSP/>.